A hometown kid is sticking around in Columbus. The Blue Jackets have extended forward Carson Meyer on a one-year, two-way contract, the team said today. The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline reports the deal carries a league-minimum cap hit and NHL salary of $775K, an AHL salary of $190K, and a minimum guarantee of $210K.
Born in Powell, Ohio, and developed through the Blue Jackets’ youth program, Meyer’s strong freshman season at Ohio’s Miami University earned him a sixth-round selection in the 2017 NHL Draft as an over-age player. After a four-year collegiate career which included a transfer to the higher-exposure Ohio State, and one year of pro seasoning with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, Meyer made his NHL debut in 2021-22, scoring a goal and two assists in a 13-game callup.
Meyer saw 14 games of NHL action this past season, recording one assist, but saw his AHL point pace increase to 26 points in 34 games after recording just 27 points in 57 games the year prior. An oblique strain kept him out of the Blue Jackets lineup for a few weeks in the middle of the season, but he rebounded nicely down the stretch in Cleveland and recorded his lone point in his last NHL call-up of the campaign, an April 11th game against the Philadelphia Flyers.
He’ll be 26 by the time next season starts, though, and it’s not seeming like he’ll get a roster spot out of training camp. With Alexandre Texier back in the fold after a year overseas, as well as a potential opening night spot for their third overall selection in next week’s draft, the numbers game just isn’t kind to Meyer. He’ll remain one of their first few call-up options throughout the season, though, barring a significant setback in his minor-league play.
Not earth-shattering news in CBJ Land, but if anyone subscribes to The Athletic there’s a great story on this guy. He got really sick heading into his sophomore year and nobody could figure out what was wrong with him, and then they did. Not for the squeamish.
link to theathletic.com